"Abortion undermines basic human rights, certainly for the child, and it also can wound the mother emotionally and physically.

"U.S. tax dollars have no business going to organizations that are unwilling to pursue health outcomes for every person and instead insist on promoting and imposing their abortion ideology on women and children."

Dolan said he applauded the Trump administration for "restoring our foreign assistance to its rightful goals of promoting health and human rights."

Last year, the administration vastly expanded the scope of a policy blocking U.S. assistance to foreign groups that perform or provide information about abortions.

The Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance policy affects $8.8 billion in U.S. assistance to programs fighting HIV/AIDS, malaria and maternal and child health.

Critics counter the ban hinders women's access to critical care.

The bishops' statement comes as leaders of Planned Parenthood announced they are working with local lawmakers in a dozen states on bills to increase access to abortion, or to roll back measures that impose limitations on it.

"We're trying to work in every state — even in the toughest places to expand access . . . by the end of this year, we will take this offensive fight to all 50 states," said Dawn Laguens, the group's executive vice president, according to The Washington Post.

The efforts of the chain of women's reproductive health centers includes a bill to repeal Missouri's 72-hour waiting period before a woman can get an abortion and a bill that restores family planning funding in New Jersey that former Gov. Chris Christie had removed from the budget.

Planned Parenthood also is pushing measures in California, Hawaii, and Rhode Island, where Democrats lead the legislatures.